The Pastor’s Role

The “Spiritual Gifts Indicator” test (complete) and a three to four page summary of insights about your spiritual gifts that come from completing the test. 2. Your “World View” and a summary of insights that came from you taking that examination. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in every one. (1 Cor 12:4-6 RSV) “Gift for All" "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" (2 Corinthians 9:15) While exhorting the Corinthians concerning a generous offering for the poor of Jerusalem, Paul made the point that all our giving is a poor imitation of the indescribable, maximum gift given to all people by God the Father. Paul was speaking about God's gift of the Lord Jesus Christ, who, though he was rich, for our sakes became poor so that we, through his poverty, might become rich. What does it mean for God to make us rich? All human beings, even the richest people in the world, are really poor, because all are sinners, without God and without hope in the world. The Scripture says all people are under God's just and holy wrath, and unless God saves them, they will be eternally damned. God loves sinners, so in the fullness of time he sent his eternal Son to become poor by becoming a man, that he may enrich us by his grace, and through that we may enter into the rich blessing of eternal life and communion with God. No one can ever fully describe the gift of God in Jesus Christ. One can know more of Christ and his work of salvation, but one can never know him fully. But the more we know Christ, the more we rejoice in him, so we need to open this indescribable, divine gift God has given us. The Gift: Jesus is God When we examine this gift, we first discover that Jesus Christ is God. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1) And John continues, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth . . . No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known." (John 1:14,18) Jesus Christ is God, but unless your eyes are enlightened by the Holy Spirit, you will not appreciate this divine gift. You will hate him. When the Jews wanted to stone him, Jesus asked, "I have shown you many miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?" And they replied, "We are not stoning you for any of these, but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God." (John 10:32-33) Our Lord Jesus Christ is describable and yet he is beyond human description. We can know him and be saved through this knowledge, and yet Paul says he is anekdiegetos --beyond words. Why? He is God. But "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son," that we may believe in him and be saved from eternal damnation. "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." (John 3:16, 36) Even though we may not fully understand him, Jesus is God's one gift for the whole world. Romans 8:32 says, "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" In Christ we receive all things. God has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 3:3). Most people in the world have not known him. Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." (John 4:10) Sinful man is ignorant of this gift of God. Why? Satan has blinded his eyes so that he cannot see the glory of God in the face of this gift, Jesus Christ, and be saved. He who is the Creator and Governor of the universe was sent to us wrapped in human flesh and rags, and placed in a manger. No wonder people despise him! But this lowly Son is God. I raise the question about the gift, Jesus Christ: "He who never began to be in his specific identity as Son of God, began to be what he eternally was not. . .The infinite became the finite, the eternal and supratemporal entered time and became subject to its conditions, the immutable became the mutable, the invisible became the visible, the Creator became the created, the sustainer of all became dependent, the Almighty infirm." Yes, "God became man." In one person there was a conjunction "of all that belongs to Godhead and all that belongs to manhood." This eternal Son came into a "world of sin, misery and death." He came in the likeness of sinful flesh, yet without sin. "He came into the closest relation to sinful humanity that it was possible for him to come without thereby becoming himself sinful." The Gift: Jesus Is Man Open the gift! You will find that Jesus is God, and you will also find that he is man. This is the biblical doctrine of virgin birth, that the virgin Mary, without the aid of a man, by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit conceived and gave birth to a Son, the Holy One of God, our Lord Jesus. This was a unique miracle of supernatural begetting. The baby was a supernatural person, taking on himself our human nature. He was wrapped in flesh. Then there was the miracle of supernatural preservation of Jesus from all the stains of sin. We must understand that in this incarnation Jesus never ceased to be what he always was, that is, God. There was no exchange of divine identity for human identity, no surrendering or suspension of divine attributes. Incarnation means addition, not subtraction--the addition of sinless human nature. Jesus is God-Man. "In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form." (Colossians 2:9) Why did Jesus become man? We have been sold as slaves to sin, and no man can redeem us because no man is qualified to do so. God sent this divine gift, Jesus Christ, in a state of humiliation, as man, to become our kinsman-redeemer. Just as Boaz was the kinsman of Naomi, and he redeemed Ruth, by becoming man Jesus is now related to us. He is our willing and able Redeemer! By his death he bought us out of slavery to sin, law, death, Satan and hell, and set us free, granting us the glorious liberty of the sons of God. The Gift: Jesus Is Savior So if you open this gift, you will also discover that Jesus is the Savior. God sent only one Savior to this world, and that Savior is Jesus. "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) God promised this Savior as soon as man sinned. Sin came into the world through a woman, and the Savior also came through a woman. Genesis 3:15 said the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent. In the fullness of time God sent this indescribable gift of our Savior to the virgin Mary, who was betrothed to Joseph the carpenter. In Luke 1 we are told that the angel Gabriel made this glorious announcement to her, that she would become pregnant through the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit and give birth to a son who would be called the Son of the Most High, the Holy One, who would be given the throne of David and reign forever. God sent this Savior to others. When Elizabeth saw Mary, she recognized her as the "mother of my Lord." When Mary gave birth to this Holy One in Bethlehem, the angel announced his birth to the lowly, despised shepherds who were watching their flocks in the fields near Bethlehem. “The angel appeared to them, the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. “ Why did they react that way to this news of a Savior? Sinful people are always afraid when God's glory appears to them. Zechariah was afraid when Gabriel met him in the temple. Mary herself was afraid because she was also sinful. Joseph was afraid, and now the shepherds were afraid, the Greek text says, with great fear. Why? This fear is fear of the divine damnation of death because of our sins. How can we be delivered from this fear of death and eternal separation from a holy God? Can medicine or psychiatry or education or power or atheism deliver us from this fear? No, this fear of death and damnation can only be eliminated by the gospel. So the angel commanded the shepherds: "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people." Great fear is dealt with by the gospel of great joy. What Is This Good News? This gospel is about a baby, born "today," the angel said. Today! That means in the fullness of time, in fulfillment of God's ancient prophecy and promise. The time had come. It was "today." Not only that, the angel said, "in the town of David," which meant in accordance with God's promise found in Micah 5:2. This baby was the son of David and heir of his throne. Then we are told, "A Savior has been born." Who was this Savior? His name was already chosen by his heavenly Father: "You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21) This Jesus was the one who would crush the head of the serpent. He would defeat Satan and demons and every force that is against God and man. He would deliver his people from the clutches of sin, death, Satan, hell and the law, accomplishing this by his life and death. Jesus gives us salvation! That means our sins are fully pardoned and we are clothed in the full righteousness of God, so that we can appear before him and enjoy fellowship with him forever. Jesus reconciles us to God by dealing with the problem of sin, which has separated us from him. This Jesus is the Christ, we are told. Christ means he is the Messiah, the Anointed One, anointed by the Holy Spirit to be prophet. It is he and he alone who teaches us the way to God. It is he who told us to come to him and learn of him, which we do through his word, the Bible. This Jesus is our priest. He will bring us to God through the sacrifice of himself, and secure for us forgiveness of all our sins. Not only that, this Jesus is Lord. In the Old Testament this word "Lord" meant Jehovah, or God, and now this title was given by the angel to this baby, Jesus. He is kurios , Jehovah, God--the self-existing, self-sufficient, eternal, infinite, almighty God who entered into a covenant with man to save him. Because Jesus is God, he is able to defeat every rebel, enemy and sin. He will deliver his people, as he did when he defeated Pharaoh, and brought his people out of Egypt. Speaking of this baby, the angel said "To you is born. . ." This meant Jesus would be the Savior of those among God's chosen people Israel who would believe on him. Salvation is of the Jews. It is Jesus who saves Abraham and David, and all true Israel. But salvation is not limited to Israel. The angel said, "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people ." God's purpose in calling Abraham was so that in him all the families of the earth would be blessed. (Genesis 12:3) There is only one Savior, but he is the Savior for the whole world--for people of all nations, all races, and of every social standing, whether bond, free, rich, poor, educated or uneducated. There is no other name than the name of Jesus given by God by which we can be saved. He is the indescribable gift! God's Gift Of Love 1 Corinthians 13:13 - And now these three remain; faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. When I think of how God calls each of us to love, I always reminded of this story. It is about a unit of soldiers during Viet Nam who were pinned down in "no-man's land." They were surrounded by exploding shells and the cries of soldiers dying all around them. One young soldier wanted to go out and retrieve his wounded friend. His lieutenant stopped him. "Don't be stupid! He's dead and if you go you'll be dead." "But I want to do it, I have to go," the soldier persisted, but the officer would not hear of it. "It's a waste. Nobody expects this of you." The soldier ignored the lieutenant's orders and headed up over the rim of the foxhole and out into the open field. Hours later he returned, dragging his dead friend. The soldier was badly wounded as well and he would soon be dead. In frustration and anger, the lieutenant cried, "I told you, I told you! It wasn't worth it." But the dying soldier said, "Oh yes, it was worth it. See, when I found him he wasn't dead yet and when I knelt to pick him up he looked into my eyes and said, 'Jim, I knew you would come.'" It is difficult for us to understand this kind of love but this is exactly the same kind of love that Jesus talks about in the Gospel of John. He asks us to follow his example. He calls each of us to love. Prayer: We thank you for your great gift of love. We thank you for showing us by your life what it means to love. Help us to understand and to love those whom you bring into our lives, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Who Receives This Gift? When we study the song of the heavenly choir, we discern that God will not save anyone unless he has chosen that person. Only the elect of God will be saved. This choir came from worshiping God in heaven to worship God and his Son on earth. In some translations we read that they sang, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace and goodwill toward men," but that is not correct. The better text reads, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace to men on whom God's favor rests ." (NIV) That speaks about divine election. Not all people experience God's peace. Only certain people are chosen by God's electing love from all eternity to be saved. All people who trust in Christ will be saved and blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ. Paul addresses this in Romans 8:28-29: "For those God foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son . . . and those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified." If God's favor rests on you, if God has chosen you and loved you from all eternity, you will gladly believe in the Savior he sent. With great delight you will receive the greatest gift God has given--his Son, in whom there is the conjunction of Deity and humanity. You will want to know him. You will carefully study the Bible so you can know him, believe in him, worship him and be taught by him. You will be completely satisfied with him always, and will tell others about this indescribable gift. Mary was the first to believe in this Son who was also her Savior. In response to the good news given her by the angel, Mary said, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." What she meant was that, no matter what happened, whether she would suffer reproach, shame or even death, she believed in God and in his Son who would be born through her to save her. Elizabeth believed in this Savior, as we see in her speech to Mary: "But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" This amazing revelation was given to Elizabeth, that in the womb of Mary was the Lord, the Savior of the world. Zechariah also believed. When he spoke about his own son, John, he said, "And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him." So Mary, Elizabeth, and Zechariah were chosen. The shepherds were also chosen. These shepherds to whom the angelic choir sang were people upon whom divine favor had been resting from all eternity. They were a despised class of people, social outcasts who failed to fulfill all manmade rules of ritual cleanliness. They had a reputation of being liars and were excluded from bearing witness in a court of law. But God chose them from the foundation of the world to be saved through the angelic preaching of the gospel. Paul referred to such in 1 Corinthians 1:26-28: "Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of the world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are." In the world's view, the shepherds were nothing, but they were chosen by God. They went to Bethlehem and saw this Christ, God the Savior, wrapped in flesh and swaddling clothes, lying in a feeding trough in great humiliation. That sight gave them great joy! In this baby they found their own salvation from death, hell and damnation. Although the shepherds were greatly afraid when they heard the angelic announcement, on seeing Jesus they were filled with unspeakable joy. They believed, praising and glorifying God. They even became evangelists, telling others this good news of great joy. Have You Received God's Gift? This gift was promised to us since the fall, and in the fullness of time Jesus Christ was born. My question is: Have you opened this gift? Have you appreciated this Savior, Christ the Lord? As Jesus told that Samaritan woman, "If you knew the gift of God . . . you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." He alone will deliver you from all anxieties, fear, hopelessness, hell and death. Who gave this gift? God, the heavenly Father, from whom all perfect gifts come. If you despise this gift, you are treating the Sender with contempt and he is angry at you. The greatest sin in the world is not to believe in Jesus Christ. Why do people despise Jesus? He was born in low circumstances, wrapped in rags and placed in a trough. He was poor and had no home. At times he was weary, distressed, weeping, hungry and thirsty. Often he would sleep on a mountain or a boat. He was mocked, spat upon, smitten and crucified. But Jesus is the pearl of great price, the eternal Son of God. This one is the treasure hidden from the eyes of all who are not chosen of God. He alone is the living bread from heaven and the living water for us sinners. You have been given many years. Have you ever opened this gift and appreciated it? Even though he is indescribable and beyond words, you have received sufficient revelation about him to save you from your sins. We all will soon die, but if you do not believe in Christ, you will go to an eternity without God. While you are living, will you continue to despise the gift of God's Son, the only Savior? Let me warn you, you cannot ignore him forever. You will die, but the Scripture says you will be raised up, and every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11). God the Sender will not tolerate your treating him or his Son with contempt. If you do, on the last day you will know him, but not to your profit. "Now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." (2 Corinthians 6:2) The choice is yours. "Kiss the Son, lest he be angry" (Psalm 2:12) Kiss the child with trembling--this child that is born to us, this son that is given, this King of kings and Lord of lords. I counsel you to tremble before him, humble yourself before God, call upon the name of the Lord, and be saved. My personal gifts for the ministry Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in every one. {1 Cor 12:4-6 RSV} I believe all gifts come from the Holy Spirit. I wish to define a gift as "A gift is an ability given to an individual supernaturally by God through the Holy Spirit so that the recipient may utilize that ability to minister to the needs of the church and community." This is an important definition because it carefully notes that spiritual gifts are for the purpose of ministry to others. They are not for the purpose of self-edification. There are Gifts and Ministries (what is called "service”). A ministry is the area in which a gift is performed or the group among which it is performed. It is where the gift is utilized. God puts some to the task of speaking to Christians, others he sends to minister to the world. To some he gives the job of teaching. Some minister to older people, some to children. Some he gives the job of speaking to women, others to men. I believe my gifts are those of Life, Wisdom, Knowledge, Teaching, Healing, Prophecy, Helps, Administration, and Discernment of the spirit. I plan to implement these gifts in my ministry through Offering Christ (Invite persons to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ and the Church) through Worship (Develop patterns of church worship which provide a strong sense of the presence of God), Education (Educate people in the Christian faith and how it relates to everyday life ), Support (Create a broad range of small groups for studying, sharing, and coping with life experiences), Service (Relate the Gospel to current social issues and community problems providing opportunities for active involvement) and Involvement (Promote a climate which provides a sense of broad congregational involvement in the future of the church and the community in which it resides). The Spiritual Gifts Indicator This spiritual gifts indicator is based on the gifts listed in Romans 12:6-8. Other spiritual gifts are listed in I Corinthians 12:4-11, 27-31; Ephesians 4:7-13; and I Peter 4: 10-1 Read each of the following statements and determine how well it describes you. Mark the statements according to the following scale: M=This describes me most of the time. S=This describes me sometimes. N=This does not really describe me. M 1. I look for creative ways to meet others' needs. S 2. People generally look to me to make the first move. M 3. I try hard to help others feel good about themselves. M 4. Teaching a Sunday School class or Bible study interests me. M 5. I'm likely to mow a neighbor's lawn or take a meal to someone who's been sick. M 6. I'm drawn to people others might consider "outcasts." M 7. I'm likely to notice when those around me are feeling down. M 8. I like the idea of sharing what God has told me with others. M 9. Giving is an important part of my financial plan. M IO. I'm likely to generate enthusiasm among others. M 11. When I lend things, I don't worry about getting them back. M 12. Others tell me I explain things in a clear, easy-to-understand way. M 13. I appreciate what others do, and I tell them so. S 14. I feel called to tell others what God reveals to me. S 15. I'm not bothered when my work goes unnoticed. M 16. People who need help solving problems often ask for my opinion. M 17. I think everyone deserves second and third chances. M 18. I enjoy preparing lessons because I like sharing what I learn with others. M 19. I'm interested in ministering to prisoners, the homeless, the disabled, and people in similar situations. M 20. People tell me I present messages in a clear, compelling way. M 21. I'm likely to volunteer for tasks others may have neglected. Each statement describes a possible demonstration of a spiritual gift. Statements you marked with an M could indicate giftedness in the corresponding spiritual gift. Two or more related statements marked with an S could also indicate giftedness. Match your responses with the gifts below by circling the statement numbers that you ranked with an M. Those qualities with the most M rankings are probably your spiritual gifts. My Responses Catogories: Prophecy: 8, 14, 20 Responses: M8, S14, M20 The gift of prophecy. When a man has this gift, his words have power to build, by stimulating and encouraging others. Have you ever been in a meeting where a problem was being discussed and there is a seeming impasse -- no one seems to know what the answer is. There is a sense of discouragement because you can't seem to get anywhere. Then someone will stand up and speak, and, as he speaks, everyone knows that what he is saying is exactly the answer. That is to me the gift of prophecy being exercised -- the ability to speak with power, to build by stimulating and encouraging. Catogories: Encouraging: 3, 7, 13 Responses: M3, M7, M13 The gift of Exhortation and encouragement. to call alongside, comfort, strengthen, to counsel, exhort, bring aid, admonish. The same Greek word describes the Holy Spirit's role in our lives. Catogories: Serving: 5, 15, 21 Responses: M5, S15, M21 The gift of Service (helps), "to lay hold of (and support)", especially the weak and needy. To minister to others and meet their needs. The gift of helps. This is perhaps the greatest gift of all. This is the gift of lending a hand whenever a need appears. In church, it is often manifest in those who serve as ushers and treasurers, those who prepare the Lord's table, or arrange the flowers and serve the dinners. In the world, it is manifest in those who help the weak, read to the blind, nurse the sick, and in any way minister to someone. This is the ministry of a definite gift of the Spirit. In Romans 12 it is called the gift of showing mercy. That is a wonderful title for it. The church could never operate without this gift of helps. Catogories: Giving: 1, 9, II Responses: M1, M9, M11 The gift of Giving, is the gift of sharing and imparting, not only money but other resources. All Christians should learn to give generously since "God loves a 'hilarious' giver", however certain individuals are given the gift of giving so they can act as stewards over material resources in the Body of Christ. Catogories: Teaching: 4, 12, 18 Responses: M4, M12, M18 The gifts of wisdom, knowledge, teaching and contributing. The gift of wisdom is direct insight into truth. It doesn't make any difference what kind of truth it is. It may be spiritual truth, or it may be secular truth, but to some is given the gift of insight into the truth and the ability to apply that insight to a specific situation. Such are men and women who know what to do, and how to do it, in any given circumstance. Let a group get into trouble and it soon appears who has this gift among them. Let Christians become puzzled, bewildered, and they always turn instinctively to the one among them who has the gift of wisdom. Knowledge is the ability to investigate and systemitize facts. It is the ability to pick out the important facts in any investigation and to put them in manageable order. This sort of person is able to recognize key and important facts as a result of investigation. That is different from the gift of wisdom. Wisdom is direct insight into the meaning of facts. This is the ability to gather facts, the gift of knowledge. This gift often accompanies the gift of teaching and makes for thoughtful teachers and contributors. The gift of Wisdom (logos sophias), lit: "word of wisdom." The ability to make wise choices and decisions at critical forks in the road. Very valuable to an individual or a group when it needs to choose but has no specifically clear information on the best choice. All Christians can grow in wisdom as they make a series of wise choices over a life-time, however there is also a gift of wisdom given to some in the Body of Christ. The gift of Knowledge: "word of knowledge," systematic understanding of truth in broad, sweeping terms so that others may be trained and instructed. Not supernatural utterances from God. All Christians have some knowledge, but there is also a gift of knowledge given to some so they may teach and edify the Body. The ability to sum up lots of information or pieces of knowledge so as to give a clear concise overview. Catogories: Leading: 2,10,16 Responses: S2, M10, M16 The gift of administration, those who organize and execute. These are the men to be elected to church boards and head programs. They know how to organize and direct, in the Spirit. In the words of the apostle to Timothy, "Stir up the gift that is in you, which was given unto you," {2 Tim 1:6}. Only by that means will the church come alive with a vitality it has never had before. If you say "No!" to this call, then you will discover what the Lord Jesus meant when he said, "He who saves his life shall lose it, but he who loses it for my sake and the gospel, will save it," { Mark 8:35}. The gift of Leadership, (proistemi) "to stand before" that is attend to with care and diligence, as the head of a family does. Perhaps this also includes setting the pace, imparting direction and goals in a ministry since sheep are lazy and helpless and prone to wander off course. Most people like to follow a good leader. God's leaders are not only visionary they lead by serving. Catogories: Showing mercy: 6, 17, 19 Responses: M6, M17, M19 The gift of Mercy An ability to touch inwardly with compassion. My Other Gifts The gift of faith. This is essentially what I call "vision." It is the ability to see something that needs to be done, and to believe that God will do it, even though it looks impossible. Trusting that sense of faith, this person moves out and accomplishes the thing in God's name. Every great Christian enterprise has been begun by someone who possesses the gift of faith. The gift of discernment of spirits. It is the ability to distinguish between "the spirit of error and the spirit of truth," {1 Jn 4:6}. It is the ability to see through a phony before his error is manifest to everyone by its ultimate results. This is the ability to read a book and sense the subtlety of error in it. It is a valuable gift, to be exercised both in the church and in the world. The gift of Healing(s). Ability to heal at the emotional and spiritual levels. The word is plural in Greek, probably suggesting that the ability to heal refers to all three levels of man. Today, God sometimes heals physically, but more often emotionally and spiritually. A valuable gift for a counselor. The gift of Hospitality. "love of strangers." May not be a spiritual gift but definitely a Christian virtue. The Gift of Servanthood Eph 5:21 Give way to one another in obedience to Christ. 1 Cor 6:19-20 (NIV) ...You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Mark 9:35 (NIV) ..."If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." 2 Cor 1:24 (NIV) Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm. 2 Cor 13:9-10 (NIV) We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is for your perfection. This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in the use of authority - the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down. Mark 9:35 (NIV) Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." Prayer Our Father, we thank you for this look together at these gifts. Strengthen me as I minister in your name with the gifts you have given me. Teach me Lord to be spiritually alive in the midst of the world. In Jesus' name, Amen. Clarify your vision of pastoral ministry. Reference: page 185ff of Empowering ministry. We must begin with a definition of the missional church. The missonal church must call people back to God. It must develop ministries and programs, which increase the laities spiritual awareness, which leads to promoting social and personal transformation. It’s objective must be to liberate and empower it’s members so they might actualize their optimum potential and realize their human wholeness. The missional church requires positive change through constructive action. We must reclaim the lives of Gods people through consistent belief and action, which calls for the actualization of faith through the positive transformation of individuals and communities. The preacher is not the only sales representative of Christianity. The laity has a far more wide-reaching market. Each time a member of the congregation interacts with other people in the community. The pastor he must empower the laity to do the work of God and create a context for belonging. This context of belonging must create a desire to be apart of others to participate in the life of the church. The Laity should be so turned on by what they see, hear and feel that they can’t live without it. This context of belonging is under-girded by the laity who communicates to the larger community that everyone is a child of God; every person in creation is worthy of the best God has to offer; no individual should feel estranged from the church; the language of outreach , caring and sensitivity should always be used by the laity; laity should make each person feel needed and encouraged to offer their gifts, talents and graces for the glory of God in the Church; and laity should never say no to people who desire to offer themselves in service to God. The laity has a greater responsibility to a greater community , the community outside the church family. Their role is to: Proclamation of the Good News-Proclamation is the process of conveying something to people not through words alone, but also through action. Proclamation for laity is an important aspect of their role because it is the “Show and Tell” of the church. Propagation and communication of the message-Communications and propagation of the mission and ministry of the church is prophetic in that it disseminates a message of God’s transforming power and love to the larger community. A prophetic imperative is not only to “tell others of what you have seen and heard, ” but to faithfully witness to”. Create an atmosphere of participation- The laity invites all community to participate in the process of Kingdom-building for the Lord. The church is not a private family social club. The laity role is to assist in removing all barriers, which could contribute to the decline in the participation in the life of the church. "Ministry starts and ends with vision. It's probably the most important ingredient in being a redemptive person." "Faith and vision are really two sides to the same coin. So what is vision? Vision is a journey into the future. It is a hard climb up a difficult mountain to gain the perspective and wisdom necessary to direct resources and energy to accomplish a worthwhile purpose. Vision looks upward to an almighty God, inward to the divine gifts he has bestowed, and outward to a lost world." Joseph Aldrich in Gentle Persuasion. “Perhaps it needs to be said that your visions will serve you best not when you are their keepers, but when they are yours. Your visions will be far more productive when they possess you. So the real issue is not how do you hold your visions, but how your visions keep you. A key ingredient of vision keeping is rehearsal. Constantly, you must rehearse your dreams. It is not enough to have rehearsed them in the past. They must be a part of every day, or soon they will not keep faith with any day.” Calvin Miller in Leadership. My Philosophy of life "How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these." George Washington Carver There are six key elements of my philosophy of life: Listening receptively to what others have to say. Acceptance of others and having empathy for them. Awareness and perception of others. Continuing to develop my powers of persuasion. An ability to conceptualize and to communicate concepts. Practicing Christian leadership and a desire to change oneself. I am concerned with issues related to the impact of the gospel on American culture and the role of the church in living in that intersection between gospel and culture. The kinds of themes I wish to explore will include: What does it mean to be the church in Afro American culture? What forms and practices best empower the church to bear witness in America? What is the significance of the gospel in Afro American culture? What are the theological challenges we face in our changing context? How should we look at our culture from the perspective of the gospel? What are appropriate Christian analyses of modernity, post-modernity, pluralism and the other forces which are sweeping through our culture? Christianity in general is changing dramatically in American culture. Old paradigms are breaking down, and we need to explore fresh visions for what it means to be the church, and what it means to bear witness in our rapidly changing situation. As a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, my role and purpose is: To challenge the church, it’s members to examine their behavior in private and social arrangements. Behaviors which perpetuate alienation and injustice, which creates the pent-up rage inside people and explodes as demons. To shepherd the middle class away from lethargy and towards pro-active, constructive action which engages in listening to the pain and dreams of our nations people, and then to work passionately to make those dreams become real. To make a sharp contradiction explode in the consciousness of the Christian, walking tranquil toward Jericho when both sides of the street are full of dead, wounded, sick dying children and desperate mothers. The church has always taught Biblical messages of love. Today's version of such love includes radical insistence on renegotiating the value base of the social contract which holds us together. Religious Development and Personal Beliefs as a Christian I longed for a life of standards and I came to realize that Jesus Christ is the true savior and liberator. Jesus give me the power to lead a truly blessed life. I came to know later that God had been preparing me for implementing His divine will. God has used me as a small tool to save many people as he has saved me time after time after time. I further realized that if Jesus Christ is God, then each and every word uttered by Him is life. I know now that even if I left out a single word of His, there will certainly be a deficiency in my life. I opened my life to Jesus Christ and accepted Him as my personal savior. After becoming a Christian I started worshipping God in truth and spirit My spiritual life continued to grow. Amidst all this, I could also see the sad state of Christianity. The Christian society is riddled with those who wish to maintain the status quo, fanaticism, racism and hypocrisy. While I was being exposed to these circumstances, I found out that there exists something called the annotment of the Holy Spirit, and I prayed that God would anoint me. God answered my prayer and filled me with His abundant grace. "Jesus called them together and said, 'You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many'" Mark 10:42-45. Jesus paved the way for a pattern of leadership that this world will never understand. Leadership in the Church begins with a recognition that there is only one true Leader - Jesus Christ Himself. All leadership is derived from the authority of Christ and must be expressed with the attitude of Christ. I believe: Christian leaders are affirmed and called by God as one of the spiritual shepherds of the community. They further serve God and the community by discerning a vision for the greater spiritual needs and empowering other shepherds to catalyze unity in the greater church and the world in general. Christian leaders are neither elected nor are they self-appointed, but raised up by God. These individuals that God has recognized as "among" the gate-keepers encourage a widening in the circle of Church leadership. The Christian leader is Christian first.... It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead.... The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the Christian -- first to make sure that other people's highest priority needs are being served. The best test of Christian leadership, and the most difficult to discern is: Do those served grow as Christians Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become Christians? What is the effect on the least privileged in society; Will they benefit, or at least, not be further deprived?" An ability to exert a healing influence upon individuals and institutions. My covenant Paul wrote that God ``has made us...ministers of a new covenant,'' which is characterized by God's Spirit. God's law is written on our hearts by the Holy Spirit, which guarantees the future promises. My personal covenant with God is a very basic one, that I will allow him to guide me with no question and glorifying and praise his name. My covenant is: To live in faithfulness to Jesus Christ, as He is revealed in scripture, and to do ministry that honors his name. To do the work of prayer, asking God to pour out the Holy Spirit on me for the advancement of the gospel, that Jesus Christ may be known and glorified. To do the work of evangelism, that men and women may be brought to saving faith in Jesus Christ. To work for social righteousness, according to the biblical vision of the Kingdom of God. To discern where God is working, with scripture as our guide, and to invest my personal involvement in those works which promote purity, holiness, and truth in the Church and which extend the gospel throughout the world. My Call to ordained ministry and the role of the church in my call. "Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust" Acts 14:23. Ordination does not make a leader. Rather, when maturity, leadership and gifts are recognized in a person, that person is then "set in place". Ordination/Baptism of the Lord - Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 Today's gospel is the baptism of Jesus. When Jesus was baptized, says Luke, a dove descended and there was a voice proclaiming Jesus as the beloved Son of God. Right after this event, Jesus begins his ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing, a sign that the kingdom of God is breaking out all over. Jesus' baptism is the day of his "ordination," the beginning point of his work, his ministry. Ordination is a gift of God through the descent of the Holy Spirit. We are given the Spirit in baptism, not for some sort of personal comfort (though we well may receive comfort from the Holy Spirit) but rather so that we might be empowered to participate fully in the ministry of Christ in the world. Acts 13:1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; a Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. Acts 13:3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid [their] hands on them, they sent [them] away. Acts 13:4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. 1. I believe, Ordination is the Calling of God. Ordination is a gift of God. It is not our idea. It is God's idea. God has challenged me to be who he wants me to be. He has Challenged me to go as Jesus went. 2. I believe, Ordination is my hearing Him and responding to his will for my life. 3. I believe, Ordination is my Choosing of God. He elects and chooses us to be the instruments of his work on this earth. He chose the disciples to distribute the loaves and fishes to the people that the people might be fed. God chooses these men today for his ministry to be his Christians to the people. We are His representatives to the hungry and thirsty ones. Ordination is my recognition of that choosing of God for his Christians and the affirmation of that selection. I have seen the Lord at work in my life. 4. I believe, Ordination is the commissioning of God. He sends out his Christians to do his work. John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace [be] unto you: as [my] Father hath sent me, even so send I you. Ordination is the submission of the people to God and to one another. We are responsible and accountable to each other. We are obedient and submissive to the commands and to one another. This is who we are in the family of God. 5. I believe, Ordination is the Communion of the Spirit with the people. I am lead to join with Him in his work and be used by him to do the work in the world. Ordination is the sharing with one another in the power of the work/ministry of the God in the church. 6. I believe, The task of the ordained leader is a collaborative one, and is not a usurping, but an enabling role. The leader aims to bring the best out of those who are led. I believe the service of leadership consists partly in provoking others to growth and movement in areas they had denied or passed by. 7. I believe, the ordained minister will act in a critical and self-critical way, open to the ideas and corrections of others. It is this aspect which is so often absent in the understanding of collaborative leadership. The ordained leader's role will change as the collaborative nature of ministry becomes more of a reality, for its shape will inevitably be modified as new members are included and as different people move off and others join in. 8. I believe, self-understanding is in key ways founded in the gospel of love and redemption. My own security and self-awareness, and the confidence to face the truths of self-knowledge, come from the love of God, the redemption Christ offers, and the empowering of broken humanity which the Spirit brings. My prayer in search of …………….. Lord, help me to be the sort of witness you deserve, Enable me to speak up for you, Give me the grace to show forth your power in all that I do, Empower me with your Holy Spirit so that I am given strength and courage, not of my own devising, for the tasks which await me. Amen. The task of the ordained minister is a collaborative one an enabling role. The leader aims to bring the best out of those who are led. I believe the service of leadership consists partly in provoking others to growth and experience movement in areas they have denied. I view the role of the church as providing leadership in the struggle for change, Christ as savior and liberator. The view of the church as a leader in the liberation struggle is most closely identified with "black theology," which gained prominence in the 1960s. Theologically, this view of the church is influenced by the liberation theology which has developed in Latin America and the works of James Cone. A reading of the Bible from the vantage point of poverty or oppression places emphasis on God's partiality toward the poor. Pressure on the church to take on the role of leader and spokesperson for change also comes from its milieu. The majority of Christians in America are black and poor. Young people especially, in today's increasingly militant atmosphere, are writing off the church as irrelevant because Christians have not been willing to be radical in denouncing injustice. While the church remains important, increasing numbers sense that the momentum towards liberation resides elsewhere and that the church is merely responding to it rather than leading it. Nonetheless, in my view, the church needs to indicate clearly which side it stands on in the struggle. I view my role as helping to continue the dialogue and showing the relevance of church and God in the struggle for liberation. The church is called to challenge its members to examine their behavior in private and social arrangements. Behaviors which perpetuate alienation and injustice, which create the pent-up rage inside people and explodes as demons. Christianity in general, is changing dramatically in American culture. Old paradigms are breaking down, and we need to explore fresh visions for what it means to be the church, and what it means to bear witness in our rapidly changing situation. My usefulness to the church comes: With my teaching ministry and my commitment to community and ability to help answer the aforementioned questions. Shepherd the middle class away from lethargy and towards pro-active, constructive action which engages in listening to the pain and dreams of our nations people, and then to work passionately to make those dreams become real. The church has always taught Biblical messages of love. Today's version of such love includes radical insistence on renegotiating the value base of the social contract which holds us together. My call to action: Declare an end to violence through educational forums, sermons and action strategies. Offer training for children, youth and adults in becoming justice seekers and persons not afraid of anger and comfortable/skilled in dealing with conflict. Celebrate justice and peace when you practice an act of affirmation of life. Call it a celebration of life and enable persons to see such rituals as an anti-violence act. Share my experience and strategies in courage in the struggle so we can build a variety of strategic responses, including worship materials, with other churches across the community. Develop a course on understanding violence showing and experiencing ways to resolve conflict without violence. Include resources to enable persons to understand the reality of death as a consequence of violence. To stand in solidarity with people is to describe this violence with an abundance of details so that their cry and their suffering shakes up the consciousness of majority America. The role of the Church is to make a sharp contradiction explode in the consciousness of the Christian, walking tranquil toward Jericho when both sides of the street are full of dead, wounded, sick dying children and desperate mothers. How your personal relationships may affect your future ministry. Dedicated to the concepts that leaders serve society, their friends, family, church, and coworkers through the empowerment of others, Servant Leadership strives to teach participants to become both servants and leaders in their world. Servant Leaders will lead others by being servants first, and seeking the best for those they lead. My goals as a leader will be to help others grow as persons, to influence and encourage them to make moral and ethical decisions for themselves and others, and to become servant leaders. My covenant is based on a relationship. As Christian leaders we bring the gifts of freedom, justice, and light through our gift of relationship, our manner of interacting with the world, beginning with the quality of our personal relationships and extending this God-given sense of relationship to global dimensions. In my search for understanding there are some perpetual questions I must continue to strive to answer and perhaps the most important could be “ What gifts do I have to offer to the world that would bring freedom, justice, and light to it.”? I can only pray that our God will unveil the freedom and liberty that is found in Christ. I want to always remember that; WE ARE SAVED, WE ARE BEING SAVED AND WE WILL BE SAVED. Most of all I pray that I will understand that Gods gifts and calling are irrevocable. Salvation being Gods first and foremost gift." “Take a New Look at Yourself”. Reference: page 188-201 of Empowering Ministry. Future Issues of the Church . To plant churches in new areas and new towns To view the changed demographic structure of our society as offering a whole new range of opportunities. To develop energetic churches which offers a range of community-oriented programs. To provide the opportunity to exercise gifts for leadership through lay ministry. To provide opportunities for people from outside the church culture to worship and experience Christian community in ways appropriate to them. To counteract a climate of defeat with a theology of Resurrection and Stewardship. Our belief in the Resurrection cries out against negativity and death, and inspires us never to surrender hope. Stewardship challenges us "to embrace a culture of generosity and risk-taking, rather than a culture of scarcity and safety". A proper theology of Stewardship resists cost-cutting, rationalization and defeatism and asks: How can we use the resources with which God has blessed us so abundantly - including our ordained ministry resources - in the most creative and life-giving ways? To build up rural ministry from the grass roots. To encourage the wider structures of the church to promote growth and innovation To strengthen our commitment to core values and beliefs, our ecclesiastical structures are doomed to obscurity and obsolescence no matter how financially endowed we are" To share faith in Christ with people so that they can experience personal transformation and can participate in the transformation of society. To be a permission-giving rather than permission-withholding church. To rediscover the meaning and power of the Gospel. To offer the kind of preaching which directs the congregation beyond themselves to God's mission in the world, To practice a style of pastoral care which assures the congregation of God's sustaining love in a changing world and helps them see that God's love for outsiders does not lessen God's love for them. To end paternalism can mean the opportunity to exercise with freedom the kind of ministry you dreamed about when you first heard God's call. These are areas in which I think many ministers need to improve their skills: strategic thinking - discovering how to get from "here" to "there". collaborative leadership - working with others to move the church forward (in most cases, it will not be a matter of ordained minister or lay ministry team, but ordained minister and lay ministry team). pastoral work - we need ministers who can get along side people where they are. preaching - we don't need "super" preachers, but people who will share what the Bible means for them in simple and direct ways. capacity for hard-work - growing the church requires "leg work" more than anything else, but this needs to be focused towards a vision for mission. Some Thoughts On The Church MINISTRY AS EMPOWERMENT And It’s Mission Efforts in The Twenty First Century The saddest question pastors ask is 'How can the church learn to minister to itself - and to the world?' And the laity's saddest question: 'Why won't pastors empower us for ministry too?' 'Ministry as empowerment' is in the category 'What they didn't teach you at the seminary!' Where two or three are gathered together there is power. 'Power is... an ever-present reality which one must confront, use, enjoy, and struggle with a hundred times a day' (Rollo May, Power and Innocence, 1972:121). History is about power. So is psychology: self-esteem derives from the ability to influence one's destiny; to be involuntarily powerless is to be without hope. All behavior, has something to do with striving for power. However such striving is sick when those at the apex of power pyramids bolster their images with larger offices, special titles, distinctive clothing, deferential treatment, and prominently-displayed certificates and honors. 'Image-makers' earn big bucks giving advice about 'power dressing', 'color and flow analysis', 'impression management' ('don't grasp the lectern when speaking: look what happened to Nixon!'), and even what glasses frames best make the wearer look more sensitive/capable/ authoritative, etc. There's a story (apocryphal I hope) of a pastor who advertised his degrees on his street letter-box plaque! Here we'll assume power is neutral, but is directed to good or evil ends. Essentially power is the ability to get things done. Authority is power conferred by an institution. Leadership is getting things done through others. Empowerment is giving away, rather than accruing, power. Power in the church Church renewal is the process whereby church people, systems and structures receive new life, meaning and power. Ministry renewal happens when pastors and leaders move from an organizational/ maintenance mode of leadership to one of empowering the whole church for ministry. A renewed church will take seriously the role of the laity in ministry. The emphasis today moves toward understanding the community of faith as the locus of theological and pastoral reflection. Pastoral insight and decision are not just received in the community but are generated there as well... This shift requires new pastoral skills - group reflection, conflict resolution, and decision making - for the community and for its ministers.' Although the church comprises human beings, it is not a human institution. The church's ministry is Christ's (John 20:21), carrying out in the world his ministry both extensively and intensively. Its mandate coincides with Jesus' own definition of his calling (Luke 4:18-19). The style of Christ's 'headship' was exemplified in washing his friends' feet. His badge of office was not a sceptre, but a towel. He models 'servant leadership', an authority to be found not in titles or status but in empowering others (cf. Mark 10:42-44). The ministry belongs to the whole church, not just professional clergy (Ephesians 4:11-12,25). Every Christian is a minister; the whole church are the laos, the people of God. It is because we have substituted for the biblical doctrine of the Holy Spirit as ruler in the church a doctrine of our own, unknown to scripture, the authority of professionalism'. Missions The great commission ('Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations') is not just individual, but corporate: 'Preach the Gospel to all creation' (Mark 16:15, RSV, NIV). In the Johannine version of the 'great commission' Jesus says to his disciples, 'As the Father sent me, so I send you' (Jn. 20:21). Here is both a command and a pattern for evangelism. The church's mission in the world is to be like Christ's. He was born into the world, lived in the world, and died for the world. We, too, are called to a humble, sacrificial identification with those to whom we are sent. 'Mission' includes everything the church is sent into the world to do. Biblical mission involves three concerns: compassion for those the New Testament calls the lost (evangelism); compassion for the hurting (mercy) and compassion for the powerless (justice). These three concerns are highlighted by Micah (6:8) and Jesus (Matthew 23:23) as being essential to an authentic biblical faith. Justice has to do with our relationships to worldly powers, mercy our relationship to others' pain, faithfulness our relationship to God's plan. 1. JUSTICE is essentially the Gospel's critique of ungodly power, of culture without compassion. Churches choosing to support what already exists may be supporting an ungodly system. Then, too, churches may contribute to the status quo by being preoccupied with their own internal affairs - administration, doctrine, buildings, finance, authority, liturgies etc. Justice is all - and only - about the uses of power. Injustice is the mis-use, non-use or abuse of power. In the Bible justice is personal (living a righteous, just life), forensic (relating to matters of law), and social (our treatment of the poor). A church that is alive is concerned with much more than persons 'making decisions for Christ'. Jesus came to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the jubilee. Churches and missions have a remarkable history of helping the poor in hospitals and orphanages, schools and developmental projects. But a closer reading of the prophets and of Jesus lead us to another question: why are they poor? Justice is sorting out what belongs to whom, and returning it to them. Justice is the practice of entitlement for the weak and incompetent. God is a 'lover of justice' (Psalm 99:4). He cares for the poor and marginalized, so we should love them too (Deuteronomy 10:18-19, Psalm 72:11-14, Psalm 82). 2. COMPASSION AND MERCY. Jesus and his followers were concerned not only about 'saving souls' - evangelism - but helping others deprived of necessary daily needs. Unfortunately Christians have sometimes emphasized one or the other of these two areas of essential ministry, rather than both: what Rene Padilla calls 'an unbiblical divorce between the kerygma and the diakonia'. A theological understanding of Christian social concern begins with the character of God. Jesus came with a mandate to preach, liberate and heal (Luke 4:18-19) and commissions his followers to do the same as he did (John 20:21). So the church adopts Jesus' stance towards others: that of a servant. And it will be called to account at the Great Judgment relative to the presence or absence of ministries of compassion to the poor (Matthew 25:31-46). 'Compassion' comes from the Latin pati and cum 'to suffer with'. The church takes Jesus as its model for compassion. In the same way God's does: he sends Jesus into the world to be with us. He emptied himself and became our servant (Philippians 2). That gives us dignity: we must be worth a lot if he is willing to be our slave! He says to us: 'I will be with you always until the end of the age' (Matthew 28:20). We are not alone. So compassion is more than sympathy - 'feeling sorry' for the poor. It's not 'pity' for someone weak or inferior. Compassion is a 'doing verb' - relieving the pain of others, not just emoting about it. It's more than 'helping the less fortunate' - that's elitist and paternalistic. 3. EVANGELISM. Evangelism is that dimension of mission which seeks to offer every person, everywhere, a valid opportunity to be directly challenged by the gospel to explicit faith in Jesus Christ, with a view to embracing him as Saviour, becoming a living member of his community, and being enlisted in his service of reconciliation, peace and justice on earth. Good evangelism is more than apologetics, which attempts to give a reasoned defense of the Christian faith. Apologetics cuts down trees; evangelism builds houses! Evangelism is more than imparting organized doctrine. Evangelism must not be defined in terms of results The greatest hindrances to evangelism lie within the church. Let us work towards cooperation between all members of the worldwide church to eliminate duplication, bigotry, and the scandal of a divided church before the world. Christian faith must strip itself of Christian religion. We can use religion to escape from God. The church is 'Christ existing as community'; 'it is that section of humanity in which Christ has already taken form'. In the 'Great Commission' Jesus gives his followers (Matthew 28:19-20) there are four 'action verbs' - going, making disciples, baptizing, and teaching. But only one ('make disciples') is in the imperative mood, and therefore the 'main command'. Our central purpose is not merely to win 'converts' but to make disciples! In the end, an evangelistic lifestyle arises out of the reality of our experience of Christ. If he has really changed our lives, that's great news, and we'll want to share it! A church with a well-balanced missionary program - balanced geographically between 'home' or local community ministries, and 'overseas' or foreign missions, and also between the various components of mission, justice, mercy and evangelism - is a healthy church. Jesus gives his manifesto for mission (Luke 4:14-30). We note there that his mission was to be 'spiritual', evangelistic, compassionate, liberating, and a ministry of justice. Notice Jesus' (and our) good news is for 'the poor'. So we begin by asking 'Who are the poor, and how would they define good news?' Evangelism without mercy and justice produces do-gooder: doing good to others for your sake rather than theirs (paternalism). Thoreau's warning: If you see someone coming to you with the intention of doing you good run for your life! But if you work for justice and neglect the other two you may become a Zealot. Vocational Goals My goals and influences are very simple. I want to pastor a small church and teach at a college or university classes in religion, ethics, sociology and political science. My influences and heroe’s are my grandmother Bessie Smith, who taught me that Jesus was the center of my life; and writers like: Michael Eric Dyson, Cornel West, E. Franklin Frazier, James Cone, Martin Luther King, Charles V. Hamilton, Gayrund S. Wilmore, Albert Cleage, James H. Evans and many others. My task as a ordained minister will be a collaborative one, an enabling role. I must aims to bring the best out of those I lead. I believe the service of leadership consists partly in provoking others to grow and experience movement in areas they have denied. As an ordained minister I will act in a critical and self-critical way, open to the ideas and corrections of others. It is this aspect I believe is so often absent in the understanding of collaborative leadership. Self-understanding is in key ways founded in the gospel of love and redemption. My own security and self-awareness, and the confidence to face the truths of self-knowledge, come from the love of God, the redemption Christ offers, and the empowering of broken humanity which the Spirit brings. While the church remains important, increasing numbers sense that the momentum towards liberation resides elsewhere and that the church is merely responding to it rather than leading it. In my view, the church needs to indicate clearly which side it stands on in the struggle. I view my role as helping to continue the dialogue and showing the relevance of church and God in the struggle for liberation. EFFECTIVE PASTORAL LEADERSHIP for the 21th Century If we found the 'complete' pastor what would he or she be like? How does a pastoral leader put together a winning team? These include initiative, commitment, skills in managing people, planning and financial ability, grasp of opportunity and judgment. They will be men and women who have been exceptionally successful in their field, achieved measurable goals and demonstrated outstanding performance. The difference between a growing church and a stagnant one is pastoral leadership. Gifted pastors build great churches and average ones build average churches. The pastor heads the list of factors common to growing churches in America. Show me a rapidly growing church, and I will show you a dynamic leader whom God is using to make it happen' (Peter Wagner). The outstanding leaders of history give witness to the fact that even the highest standards of understanding and discipline will still lead to ultimate failure if they are not built upon a strong character. Effective leaders have accomplished their own goals; great leaders have changed history, and though they may have passed from this earth long ago their leadership still shapes the world. Great leaders have seldom taken on the mantle of leadership for its own sake. True leadership is born out of vision and purpose that is established firmly on the bedrock of conviction and discipline. Leadership is a means and not the end in itself. Great leaders have the ability to make other leaders followers. The quality of those who follow you will directly reflect the quality of your accomplishment. To make other leaders followers requires a greater depth of character, commitment and vision. The following are characteristics of leadership and necessary for the twenty first century church: Vision-This is the fundamental qualification for leadership. By definition, you are not a leader unless someone is following you. Only a fool will follow those who do not know where they are going. Not only must a leader have goals but the goals must be specific. The more clearly defined they are the easier it will be for others to follow. Having a goal that is too general may be worse than not having one at all. General goals are seldom attained and lead only to frustration. Those who "want to get rich," or "go into business for themselves one day," seldom do, and if they do, rarely succeed. Your goals should be noble. Not only should you be specific in your direction, but you need to be just as specific about why you are going there. Seeking higher purposes will result in personal inspiration as well as the inspiration of others. INNOVATION-Effective pastors are creative initiators. Effective pastors believe there's a better way. They don't throw out certain traditions because they're old, but because they're irrelevant. They get excited in brainstorming sessions, encouraging ideas - even the craziest ones – to flow freely. LEADERSHIP-The pastor is a 'leader of leaders'. Leadership is God's gift to the church - every church - but is expressed variously. Effective leaders understand themselves, their co-leaders, their group, and the social milieu. They accurately assesses the climate and readiness for growth, know the gifts, limitations and responsibilities of their co-leaders, and act appropriately in the light of all these perceptions. They allow subordinates to take initiatives, or facilitate group-freedom as appropriate. Ability to Form a Plan-This is the characteristic which separates the achievers from the dreamers. An ancient proverb declares, "He who fails to plan, plans to fail." Even if we have the most noble and appropriate goals, our chances of accomplishing them are remote without proper planning. Planning is both an art and a discipline. Even the greatest artist has to develop his skills; so must the leader develop his ability to assimilate and organize facts concerning the realities being dealt with. Then the facts have to produce insights that will lead to advantage and success. Good leaders are good planners. If we fail to plan we plan to fail: to make no plans is a plan in itself. Planning 'clothes our dreams'. Good planners know their goal, think backwards by writing down the steps needed to accomplish that goal, working out the time, money, and effort needed to complete each step, scheduling dates when each step takes place. Will to Implement the Plan-"Knowledge is power" according to the proverb. This is true when it is possessed by a wise and decisive leader. Wisdom is the ability to apply knowledge correctly. Courage is the will to apply it. Without wisdom and courage, increased knowledge will only inflict us with "the paralysis of analysis." Planning and preparation must lead to action. It is quite unlikely that one will ever feel, or be, totally prepared and confident when the action begins. If we wait for complete confidence we will never accomplish anything. Often circumstances come upon us suddenly which require action when we feel totally unprepared. It always seems in these situations that once we begin to take action to the best of our ability, confidence and wisdom then come. A leader must be action orientated and not just a whiz at theory and planning. The ability to plan is essential for true success, but it must be united with action. Keeping Priorities in Order-If we do not take control of our own time, that which represents 10% of our enterprise will demand 90% of our attention. In many cases this is the cause of burnout. If we are in leadership we must learn to delegate the details and give our attention to leading and planning. This is hard for leaders because by nature they are doers and are inclined to become involved - but it must be done if we are to fulfill our potential. Learning to prioritize your duties can actually multiply your productivity. A simple classification system can be helpful. Keep a current list of your Things To Do. If under your classification system "1" is your highest priority, do not work on the "2's" until the "1's" are finished, and so forth down the line. A few more pennies may fall through the cracks, but you'll be amazed at how many more dollars come in! Steadfastness-This is the ability to stay on course until the goal is accomplished. To achieve this, the goal will have to have more power in your life than the multitude of external pressures which will try to knock you off course. The ability to do this will depend a great deal upon how well you have prepared for the journey to accomplishment, with its conflicts and its storms. Ability to Motivate People-Motivation is getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it! The leader/motivator must understand the group's needs, abilities and perceptions . McGregor's well-known 'Theory X' leaders assume people don't want to work, they dislike responsibility, and must be coerced into effort; Theory Y suggests that people will work hard, accept responsibility, and be loyal to the organization's goals if they are 'handled right'. So when a pastor complains 'the blighters won't work' that pastor is making a judgment about his or her own leadership. Accomplishment will inevitably require sacrifice and commitment from those you lead, and people must have a reason to make sacrifices and commit themselves. The ability to motivate people lies in the understanding of what motivates them, and of what detracts from their motivation. There are two basic kinds of motivation: positive and negative. Both work, and work well, depending on the circumstances and the people. There are basically two kinds of leaders: those who sacrifice the people for themselves, and those who sacrifice themselves for the people. Integrity-Integrity is more than just being honest, it is doing what is right. It is the freedom from corrupting influence or practice. It is practicing what you preach. It is doing what your conscience tells you to do even if it leaves you as a committee of one. It is the courage to stand for your convictions. It is always reaching for higher moral standards than may be customary in "the group." The true leader is always reaching for higher standards. A true leader has also the courage and honesty to admit mistakes and failures, and to accept the blame for them. Courage-Courage is the quality of mind and heart that makes one resist the temptation to stop or retreat in the face of opposition, danger, or hardship. This implies the summoning of all of one's powers to reach the goal. Courage is the firmness of spirit and moral backbone which, while appreciating and properly measuring the risks involved, makes one press on until success is accomplished. Courage is essential to leadership but it must be tempered with vision and strategy, always keeping our ultimate goal in the forefront so that we are not defeated by our secondary successes. Loyalty-Loyalty is faithfulness to principles, to the plan and to the people. A social chameleon who changes to conform to each new environment or group is void of the basic characteristics that makes a true leader. True leaders are not so easily changed but instead have the strength of character to change their environments, or the mindset of the crowd. Initiative-Half the victory is often found in just starting the battle. The ones who take initiative will usually be able to keep it, giving them a substantial advantage. It has been said that there are basically three kinds of people in the world: those who watch what is happening, those who talk about making things happen and those who do it. The sad thing is that most of those in the first two categories have possess everything required to be a "doer" except one thing - initiative. Endurance-This is the ability to stay with the task all the way to the completion. This is a serious problem with those who have strong leadership ability because leaders find it much more stimulating to start a task than to finish it. As a result they often have numerous unfinished projects lying dormant while they pick up the pursuit of the next interesting venture. The ability to finish the job is every bit as important as being able to get all of the resources and energy going to start it. This takes discipline. Accountability-To God and to others - is the hallmark of any Christian leader. We are servants of the church (although the church is not our master - Christ is). Authentic pastors welcome this trend. 'Six days invisible, the seventh incomprehensible' won't do anymore. Pastors have an even more awesome stewardship: accountability to God is timeless: 'See that the work of saving grace be thoroughly wrought in your own souls. Ambitious-Paul was ambitious (2 Corinthians 5:9; Romans 15:20; 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12), but so was Satan. Saints have a sublime indifference to temporal success or failure. In this competitive world, our business is not to get ahead of others but to get ahead of ourselves. 'Wanting the church to grow' is OK, but our fallen natures warn us that can be a short step from 'wanting to build an empire'. One model is redemptive - humble, serving, costly; the other is violent - competitive and alienating. Effective pastors are BIG persons. They take genuine joy in the ministry-successes of others; so they won't be threatened by the giftedness of talented colleagues. They welcome feedback, instituting formal and informal channels to get it. They aren't conformists; they're prepared to take risks, even to fail occasionally. They're teachable - attending conferences, traveling to learn from others, getting ideas through reading. Their egos don't have to be fed by parading success stories. They relate caringly to old and young, to the up-and-out and the down-and-out, to leaders and to the broken. They have cool heads and warm hearts, and don't develop 'messiah complexes'. Community-You won't survive as a pastor on your own. Find a prayer-partner, soul friend, sharing group, or, better, spiritual director. Research says pastors are lonely: they are the least likely to have a close friend. In our preaching, should we be CULTURE-affirming or -denying or -confronting? Yes, yes and yes: it depends. Will Herber (Protestant, Catholic, Jew) says Americans look mainly for one thing in their religion - security: social acceptance (mainline churches), or eternal security (the fundamentalists). Both produce 'civic religion', a 'cult of culture' validating culture and society without bringing them under judgement. 'Love your neighbor' sermons make love voluntary, having little to do with justice. Most churches espouse political neutrality, which is opting for the status quo. Delegate-Good managers delegate ruthlessly. Pastor-teachers, says Paul, equip others for ministry (Ephesians 4:12). So if the pastor isn't training, training, training, he or she is likely to be doing things other could do, and thus denying them a ministry. Don't buy a dog and bark yourself! Run 'How to Help Your Friend' counseling courses. Coach elders and lay visitors 'on the job', taking them to hospitals and home visits. Leading worship services and preaching should be shared by those with competence. Peter Wagner talks about insecure pastors who need to know everybody, including kids' (and even pets') names. They don't have a growth/delegation mentality. Being a 'rancher' isn't opting out of pastoral care, it's equipping under-shepherds. The church's small groups should be the main focus of pastoral support, with elders/small group leaders as the first 'port-of-call'. Discipling-delegation + training + mentoring = discipling. 'Go and make disciples' is still Jesus' mandate to his followers. How? The way he did it. Every pastor should be encouraged to find his 'three, twelve and seventy'. The pastors' task is to spend half their time with God, half with people and the rest in administration! And half the people-time should be invested in leaders. This is hard work, and tests a pastor's authentic spirituality, so it's easier to opt out and succumb to the less rigorous task of oiling church machinery. We are models. Pastors who model a thankful spirit generally see it reproduced in the congregation. Encouragement-They see the best in others They take time to congratulate those who have helped, and build on people's strengths rather than reacting to their 'rough edges'. Praise is not flattery: sincere encouragement builds confidence; insincere flattery inflates one's ego. Praise never hurt anyone; silence or destructive criticism are killers! Encouragement draws the best out of people. Excellence-This cuts across a lot of modern self-improvement/positive thinking ideas. A passion for excellence 'means thinking big and starting small: excellence happens when high purpose and intense pragmatism meet'. It involves three dynamics: superior service to customers, constant innovation, and the consistent rewarding of creativity of everyone in the orginination. Facilitators-Pastors of growing congregations are facilitators. Good pastors are gifted 'networkers', devising dozens of ways for people to relate to each other. Growth-Means many things: people coming to faith in Christ, growing in Christian maturity, being incorporated into the church, involvement in ministry in the church and in the world. Goal Setting-Goals are crucial. Goals should always be specific, attainable, and measurable. Set goals for health and growth should result. Home Life-A church leader's is an important example to others (Titus 1:6,7). 'Work aholics' are not good models for new Christians. It is possible for a busy pastor to spend 3-4 nights a week at home in quality time with his or her family. The church-people can interrupt our family time or meal-times whenever they want, but we're not allowed to interrupt you when you're with a church-person. Hope-Living in isn't the same as being an optimist. Optimism can actually be shallow and faithless, whereas hope is humble and trustful, whatever the circumstances. Hope in God assures us that he will be with us, in our agonies and ecstasies, as he was with his people in the past. So we major on our resources in Christ not the difficulties. Nurturers-Pastors are nurturers, not primarily performing tasks but growing people. We nurture by example and by exhortation (in that order, I Peter 5:3; I Timothy 4:11,12; Titus 2:7). Organizing- is the role that causes clergy the greatest frustration. Astute pastors are constantly looking for administrators: is someone about to retire who could help - even without cost to the church? Prayer-Prayer, preaching and planning are three key clergy roles Urban T. Holmes says prayer is to spirituality as eating is to hunger. Prayer, he says, is more than a 'wish-list'. The deepest prayer involves contemplation ('knowing ourselves in order that we might know God so that we might know ourselves') and 'coinherence' (bearing in God's presence the pain of those we serve). Preaching-Good preaching - by itself - will not grow a church anymore, but bad preaching will certainly empty it! The era of preaching is by no means over - I believe it never will be. Good preaching is evangelical (people won't follow an uncertain sound) and the best method, I believe, is expository. Some clergy seem to believe they 'supply religion' to people in their homilies. There ought to be bookstalls, audio- book- and video-libraries, printed sermon outlines, study-guides, etc., to supplement the spoken word. And you can pick a preacher who isn't doing careful study and reflection in the first three minutes. Our people deserve better. JESUS CHRIST is the head of the church, not us. The church isn't a social club with the pastor as president. Sometimes clergy talk about 'my' church, 'my' people, 'my' leaders: such language may be patronizing, however well-intentioned. Worship and Music-individual and the gathered community serving the Lord - is the essence of all we do. To what extent would you describe your 'worship services' as celebration? Sometimes they're more like funerals than wedding-feasts! How often are we 'lost in wonder, love and praise' before our God? In every dynamic, healthy church the music is done well, and the musicians are clearly under the authority of the pastors. A bad choir views the congregation as audience. A spirit-led choir worships, and leads the people of God into the presence of God. Qualified-Qualified for their calling. What does this mean? Academic qualifications are important, particularly if our church-people are getting a better education these days. However, spiritual and moral attributes dominate the lists in the pastoral epistles Good pastors are stretching themselves theologically; they do short courses in the social and management sciences; they're reading widely in many secular fields. But above all they are striving for righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness, running their best in the race of faith (1 Timothy 6:11,12). Relax-All the great leaders in Scripture spent a disproportionate amount of their lives in deserts. 'Stress' (in physics) is the impacting of outside forces on a body distorting it. Psychologically, it results from trying to do too much, living in the fast lane. You're not meant to work harder than your Creator: take a day off each week religiously. Develop hobbies. Take a sabbatical after six or seven years. We tend to worship our work, to work at our play, and to play at our worship. Structure-should reflect priorities. Finance, administration, music, buildings, special interest groups, and constitutions are means to those ends. The degree to which church organizations devote time and energy to means rather than ends is the degree to which that church is dying! That is, most committee-time should be spent discovering ways to enhance worship, fellowship, formation and mission, not merely turning the wheels of the church-as-organization. Sincerity-Freedom from pretence or deceit; honesty; genuineness. When leading worship, the pastor, too, genuinely worships (doesn't shuffle papers, peer over the hymn book to check who's not there etc.). Prayers are from the heart, whether read or extempore. Pastors love evangelism, and don't merely issue exhortations about it. (Recent surveys among evangelical pastors tell us they believe evangelism is very important, but they don't see themselves as taking primary responsibility for it!). Every letter, phone call, visit, committee meeting is an opportunity for the sincere pastor to move people a little further into the Kingdom. Theology-Ordination for ministry (for every Christian) is a gift from God: given, I believe at baptism. The whole church is pastoral, priestly, prophetic. Ordination for pastoral/priestly/prophetic leadership, is a special gift to the church. Theologies of ministry and ordination vary, but * it's a ministry of the Word, so pastor-teachers will daily soak their minds and hearts in Scripture; * the preached Word is Christ's Word, more than mere human words. Time-Time management and volunteers are clergy's two key hassles. James Stewart (Heralds of God) writes: 'Beware the professional business, which is slackness in disguise. The trouble is we may even succeed in deceiving ourselves. Our diary is crowded. Meetings, discussions, interviews, committees, throng the hectic page. We are driven here, there, everywhere by the whirling machinery of good works. We become all things to all people. Laziness? The word, we protest, is not in our vocabulary. In all this unending tyranny of routine the central things are sacrificed or carried through inadequately...' Understanding-people and groups (psychology and social psychology) can be learned, to some extent. More and more pastors are buying cheap 'remainders' to keep abreast of insights into these fields. Incidentally, if pastors are perceived to be too prophetic or traditionalist, they're in for trouble with people at the other end! Pastors as change-agents will note that change cannot be commended by people two removes away. For example, conservatives don't listen to radicals, but may be persuaded by a progressive. Visionary-Pastors of dynamic churches are visionary they 'envision' a certain shape for their church. They're constantly inventing theoretical structures for their church's government: how can we operate with more people-ownership of our goals, but with fewer people-hours in administration? Visitation-Pastors differ as to whether visitation is a bane or blessing. We can all learn to visit from love rather than from obligation. It may raise us in the esteem of our people. Volunteers-Volunteers serve without financial remumeration. They are committed to a cause, desire to meet a challenge, wish to contribute to the well-being of others, have some spare time, and enjoy the gratification of a job well done. They need recognition and appreciation, training, involvement in the planning and setting of goals, development of team-spirit, delegation of responsibilities, and evaluative procedures. Wisdom-Pastors need special wisdom (Ephesians 1:17, James 1:5) for living a good and humble life (James 3:13), and for counseling and instructing others (Colossians 3:16). More conflicts would see 'win-win resolutions' if we were wiser. Zealous-Paul says (Galatians 4:18) 'so long as the purpose is good'. Spending the one short life you're given caring for people in churches is a good purpose, it's hard, glorious work, and the rewards are out of this world!